Month: April 2024

~~ expect SPOILERS ~~

Wow things started moving quickly in this volume! In one of the very first scenes, a panther and smaller anteater scuffle- teasing? an argument? – and the anteater’s ARM GETS COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF. Apparently this happens often enough in this world that doctors have the skill to reattach limbs- the anteater is quickly rushed to a hospital and will be okay. The herbivore students are all wary and on edge again, but when an edict comes from the headmaster that the two types of students will be separated from now on, there’s an uproar of protest. Mostly because the new rule means all the integrated clubs will be disbanded (I don’t know why they couldn’t just have two of each club- one for herbivores, the other for carnivores- instead of canceling them all outright). Drama club (and all the others) continue to meet in secret, and Juno learns she’s going to have a lead role in an upcoming production. Meanwhile, Legoshi narrows down who was the murderer, and has a confrontation with a large bear, a fight it looks like he’s going to loose -and badly- except that Pina the gorgeous male sheep interrupts them. Legoshi owes Pina so much for that, he makes constant overtures and offers his protection. He’s still training with the Panda, strong enough to accost unwilling “patients” in the black market on his own. We learn of a tragedy in Legoshi’s past, and that he’s hiding a family secret. Tracking down some potential patients for Panda in the black market, Legoshi runs into Louis and finally learns what the red deer has been doing. He begs Louis to return to school, but the deer feels he’s in far too deep with the lion gang now. They have a (somewhat) honest conversation- even discussing Haru.

Then there’s a segment from the bear’s perspective, and we lear that the largest carnivores are obliged to take medication that dulls their strength. Flashbacks show how one bear became a close friend to the alpaca, felt calmer in his presence, and decided to quit his meds. Then then murder happened. To my surprise, Juno reinforces this idea that the large carnivores can’t control their desire to attack smaller animals. She meets with Haru- at first still enraged that the small rabbit continues to hold Legoshi’s affections. But when Juno draws closer to Haru on the garden club grounds, she feels that irresistible pull, so drawn by Haru’s smallness, her endearing cuteness (though Haru herself would be outraged to know of it!) that she can’t tell if her desire is to protect, or just grab and possess. She feels very strongly that the separation the school is enforcing will not only be good for the student body, but downright essential.

Borrowed from the public library.

  ~~ SPOILERS below ~~  biggest ones are in white text, hightlight to read

Main storyline in this volume is that Legoshi starts training with the Panda- he wants to gain strength and fighting skills to better defend his herbivore friends, especially Haru. But at the same time is trying to keep up his studies, so always exhausted. The Panda insists he has to eat meat to build muscle, which causes Legoshi a lot of inner conflict. Meanwhile in other scenes, Legoshi has an odd conversation with that new sheep guy Pina in drama club- who definitely likes being provocative- and I had a distinct sense that character was gay? but not sure. It’s unclear. It is clear that Legoshi gets super aggravated by Pina. We meet a female okapi (such a cool animal!) who works as a stripper in the seedy part of town. She meets Louis on the streets there- shocked to find another herbivore boldly roaming the dark alleys. Louis later confronts his father, who insists that he stay in school, and the younger deer pulls a gun on his own (well, adopted) father! Louis is prowling with his lion gang and glimpses Legoshi in the black market- and is surprised at how different he looks now- not only because he’s been working out, but also because he shaved his fur close-  everyone’s been commenting on it! Back at school, Legoshi tries to sleuth out who was the murderer, and Juno feels used by his close questioning (observers perceive their proximity as meaning something else, which makes her mad). The tiger demonstrates his superior strength by having a tug-of-war contest with the wolf, using only their jaws. Legoshi is shocked when he is easily bested. Panda shows the wolf some results of his work- “rehabilitating” carnivores that had been “addicted” to eating meat and driven to violence. Legoshi finally talks to Haru again, and poses a question that shocks her- and the reader! I almost dropped the book! Then at the end we find out that animals in this world also use social media, though it is dominated by the herbivores. There’s a scene where a big cat goes clothes shopping with a sheep, and they each learn a bit about what the other has to deal with. (The cheetah has to avoid most patterns, the sheep gets skin irritation by certain fabrics reacting to her wool). Except I got hung up on the species identity- because this was the character I’d assumed was a cheetah until others called her a leopard. Now the text used both identifiers. So which is she? or was this a problem with translation. It kept bugging me.

Borrowed from the public library.

Semi-autobiographical, this book was one I could not put down. It’s another one set in middle school, with yet another unique interest- horseback riding. Kate struggles with her self-image and confidence. She’s shy at school, feels awkward and embarrassed around her older brother’s friends (whose teasing and jokes escalate into harrassment near the end of the book), and while her mother’s attempts to help her eat healthier and find more flattering clothes are well-meaning, they often just hurt. The place where she forgets her problems, can focus on something else and feel accomplished, is on the back of a horse. From riding lessons and stable work (to cut down cost) to scary competitions, she loves it all. Well, except for the more popular girls at the stable- who have more money, better looks and always some mean, pointed things to say about Kate, her body size, her less-expensive clothes and her riding skills. But the teacher has confidence in her. She falls a lot, but gets back on. She finally stands up to one of the mean girls, and is surprised at the results. Her brother defends her (in a way) against his jerk friends, and she starts to make slow progress with improving her health. And accepting herself for how she is (though really, she didn’t feel bad about herself until other people said stuff). I liked this so much better than I expected to. Not just for the horsey content, either. I could releate in some ways I wouldn’t have expected to before- about loving the feel of a sport, fear of falling and getting seen or laughed at, but you have to just get back up, brush off your knees and try again. Confidence and skill builds over time.

The author’s note at the back tells how much was based on her own pre-teen years, and that all the horse-related incidents either happened to her or to someone she knew. I also liked seeing all the different cover illustration ideas she had before settling with this one. Another nice detail is that throughout the story, terms specific to horseback riding or anything equine are in a different color text, and then defined at the bottom of the page. There were quite a few words and phrases I didn’t know! Very helpful.

Borrowed from the public library.